On Monday, Gilbert released an extremely brief statement in response to Jackson’s comments:

“I strongly disagree with (Jackson’s) recent comments and we are not going to engage in any related discussion on it. Going forward, we’re very excited about the Cavaliers and the positive future of our region.”

Gilbert would clearly like the racial component of the controversy over his letter to go away, but he may have opened Pandora’s box on this one.

Jackson’s comment is typical of a man infatuated with his own imagined self-importance, as usual inserting himself where he is not needed or wanted. He is is one of the most irrelevant men in America, who needs to be told to get a gainful job somewhere-not in politics.

Whoops! Kinda blew that one, Danny boy. (In more ways that one!)But nice try, trying to stuff those words back down your throat.
Maybe he would like to tell us next who’s from the quitter on the Celtics responsible for their Game 7 loss. After all, rich owners like him know all about these things.

Jesse jackson is a moron whose fifteen minutes has long since expired, Gilbert is simply a rich, gullible fool who let his mouth get ahead of his brain.
Lebron is gone, he got his dough, he got his press conference, the Basketball season is over for awhile. Let it go.
Not a single one of them showing any class worthy of more white space.

I was 17 in 1960 and went to college in the Bay Area. The 60s defined who I am and how I think about things. The Civil Rights movement structured my politics to this day.
That said, I think Jesse Jackson is a little free with his ‘loaded’ associations. Dan Gilbert certainly could have been more circumspect in his ‘open letter’, but he did address what most in Cleveland were feeling – rightly or wrongly. Cleveland is a place Lebron had a very difficult time getting any free-agent to join him – and that was before he left. Now it is going to get more difficult. I, personally, don’t think Mr. Gilbert’s statement will much affect players in the future – the desirability, or lack thereof, of the city of Cleveland will have more to do with things.
Since they got to the finals once and might have gotten there again – except for some poor play by Lebron James – and they have a good coach now. With some competent pieces and a disciplined coach they can compete, but I think their glory days are over.

The only common thread in this whole debacle between the owner Gilbert, the player James, the media, and the fans is extraordinary immaturity. I love basketball, but this whole spectacle was depressing.
I see the military kids in uniform doing the color guard before NBA games, wondering if they’re headed off to Iraq to fight for our country, and then look at the spoiled athletes standng on the court beside them. They’re the same age but they have no responsibilities except to play a child’s game for millions.
I wish the people in this country would spend more time thinking about the kids in the color guard, and how the hell we let a president send them into harm’s way, and less about the three brats who have nothing to worry about but thier next party in South Beach.

i’d be a slave any day if you pay me a trillion dollars like labron james is getting. WHY did he have to make a specticle of both himself and the game. he contributes absolutely nothing to better mankind (except maybe the sports betting industry) and seems to think he’s a god. oh, i guess i misspoke. i guess according to jesse jackson he is.

Jackson has never had a handler able to tell him when it’s best to leave a subject alone. He’s had his moments where he’s in the right and his voice is needed, especially in defense of the poor black underclass. But shooting his mouth about James? The whole spectacle was vulgar, self-indulgent and an embarrassing example of our sports/media culture. Jackson looks foolish on this one.

DAYUM THAT, CRACKA!! HE A WHITE DEVIL KKK MANG!! HE RUNNIN’ A GROUP O’ BLACK MEN = MODERN SLAV’RY!!! MODERN SLAV’RY!!!! ERR’BODY KNOW!! WAKE UP AL, WE GOT TA GIT DOWN THUR & TELL THEM UPPITY WHITE DEVILS WHAT TA DO!! THEY CAIN’T JUST TALK NO NOBODY LIKE THAT – WE PRESIDENT NOW!!

Dear Mr. Jackson,
Thank you for your thoughtful words and support. As I struggle with this difficult decision I ask that you keep me in pray, for leaving my friends and supporters is not a decision being made in haste nor do I take my responsibilities lightly.
Please ask God to give me strength and a long healthy career.
Take a lesson from President Obama – he never speaks or writes when he is angry. Read some of your emails and remember this is a permanent record.
Peace out -

Dito…big fu to the man that recreated the english language and now wants to editorialize this owners words. Nothing racist about these comments just a man that is emotional about getting the shaft! No class jackson deserves the wanna bee follower choker whats his name?

OK,, So Jesse’s best days are past and maybe he has a bit of an agenda… If he feels there was a racial component to Dan’s letter, then lets consider it.. It’s a legitimate question.. My question is where were Dan’s handlers when Dan was clearly out of control? I mean, all of us have written one of these emails or letters to someone who “done us wrong”… But we didn’t push the button!!!! We deleted it… Didn’t anyone ever tell Dan that you delete those…

Couldn’t reply to all of this “ilk” at once so I chose “Joe”. As the old saying goes, “If the shoe fits…” Has nothing to do with “the glove”
You all think Jackson’s got problems? Looked in a mirror lately? That’s a large part of the problem with our society today…one bad apple brings out others in opposition to him (or her). Nobody cares to be civil about anything and the discussion gets skewed and gets on an elementary level. Get a life and see that there’s another big world out there instead of just the “blinders-on” society of Faux News, Beck, Limbaugh, et al…
Jackson could have become a great champion for, not only blacks in America, but for ALL Americans. He had a great message and delivered it with the power and conviction of a true statesman. I voted for him in the primaries, back in the day. Now, he’s gone too far left for my liking, mainly along racial lines. Perhaps he feels he’s somehow been painted into that corner. Who knows? I’m not going to stoop to calling him racist names just to make me feel like I’ve levelled the field.
As far as Mr. Gilbert… He is THE OWNER of the Cavs. HE pays the big bucks to guys like LeBron and company. He can say whatever he wants to say, within reason. LeBron kept them in the dark until the final hours, after 7 yrs of taking the paychecks, and the owner isn’t going to be mad? LeBron’s not the total “nice guy” in all of this. Which one of us wouldn’t feel betrayed? We tend to think that PROFESSIONAl sports are all about the game, touchy feely fan/player relationships, etc… It’s all about THE MONEY. Both sides, players and owners just care about the bucks. Winning makes $$$, LeBron chose his best option to get more $$$ (and MAYBE a ring). Let’s all not forget before the conversation really turns south…Let’s go west…The road to the NBA title still goes through the BELOVED Staples Center, home of the 16-time NBA Champions, L.A. Lakers.Viva los Lakers!

What a great analogy by Jesse… only in this case the Slave took $100 million of the slave owners money, dictated who the coach and GM (i.e. “slave drivers”) would be and demanded that ths Slave Owner give his boyhood friends lucrative jobs.
Gilbert’s comments weren’t exactly his best moment but he said what he did to keep ticket sales as high as possible – it wasn’t a dumb move.
There’s a point related to slavery and that’s that we’re all slaves to the mass media, adding to the feeding frenzy enough where three guys who bounce a ball just signed contracts equal to the GDP of many emerging nations.